This invention relates to portable computing devices, such as calculators, electronic information managers or electronic schedulers, which are usually carried on the person or otherwise kept close at hand. More particularly, this invention relates to a paging accessory for portable computing devices. This accessory, which couples to the portable computing device or may be incorporated directly therein, provides paging capability without the need for an additional, separate pager to be carried about.
Portable computing devices, such as calculators, are sized to be conveniently carried. For technical, sales and business persons especially, the small size is an important feature because of the need to keep such a device close at hand during the work day. Other portable computing devices, such as electronic notepads, information managers or electronic schedulers, are now being developed that keep track of appointments entered by the user. These devices, collectively referred to herein as portable computing devices, will also be sized so that they may be kept on the person.
One desirable feature that such portable computing devices lack is paging. Presently, personal paging requires a separate pager that must be carried in addition to the portable computing device. Not only is this inconvenient, but such pagers have the further drawback that they only permit the receiving, but not the sending, of text messages. Currently, sending a text message to a pager requires one to call an operator for assistance or to have access to a keyboard adapted for sending a text message.